Receptacle for address plates



Aug. 2, I

H. C. OSBORN REGEPTACLE Fon ADDRESS PLATES Filed June 24, 1926 @aww a A 5 @mh/mm@ ing an inclined front 21.

Patented Aug. 2, 1927.

" UNITED, ,STATES 1,637,498 PATENTV OFFICE. N

vHENRY C. osBoRN, or CLEVELAND, omo, AssIGNoB. To: THE AMERICAN MULTIGRAPH COMPANY, oF CLEVELAND, oHIo, A ConronATIoN or omo'.l f

RECEPTACLE` FOR .ADDRESS PLATES.

Application led Juney 24, 1926. Serial No. 118,299,

The object of this invention is to provide a simple and efficient receptacle adapted to hold a collection of address plates while enabling them to be readily separated between any two plates, whereby the address of any plate may be conveniently inspected. My receptacle may be cheaply constructed, and, if desired may be in the `form of a drawerI adapted for mounting in a suitable cabinet for storage.

' The receptacle is illustrated in the drawings hereof, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective partly broken away; Fig. 2 is. a longitudinally vertical section of the receptacle; Fig. 3 is an end view; Fig. 4 is a diametric view on a larger scale illustratingthe action of address plates resting on the corru gated bottom of thereceptacle; Fig. 5 is a cross section of one of the address plates shown in Fig. 4.

As shown in the drawing, the receptacle comprises a suitable box having sidewalls 10--10, a front 11, back 12 and bottom 13. These parts are shown as made of metal suitably secured together. The bottom 13 is shown as terminating short of the front wall 11 and then continuing upwardly in an inclined direction as shown at 15 to the ltop of the front. The front 11 may be a downturned portion of the same piece of metal as makes the inclined partition 15 and the bot-y tom 13. The side walls 10 are preferably of less height than the front, as shown.

I have shown a follower 20 in the receptacle in any desired position therein and hav- The drawer incline 15 and the follower incline 21 give the receptacle an effective hopper-like form with parallel side walls. This enables address plates standing on their lower ends on the floor of the receptacle to extend in either direction as illustrated in Fig. 2, so that the face of the address plate is visible from above and may be read. The side walls are preferably of considerably less height than the length of the address plates A, so that the upper ends of' the address plates are readily accessible, enabling them to be tipped forwardly or rearwardly one after the other to present any plate to view and enabling the address of the exposed plate to be more easily read.

To retain the plates in the inclined position shown, preventing any sliding Vdown into a horizontal position of the flow of the receptacle, I provide a corrugated false bot t o1n 30, which may be a strip of metal formed as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 and suitably vsecured on the bottom 13. y

The address plate may be of the channel shaped form shown in Figs. 4 and 5. In; that case, the side walls a of the plate have hollow ribs a at their edges formed by bending the material first outwardly and then Ainwardly. When the plates standing on endy 1n the receptacle incline upwardly towardv the rear as shown yat A1, the lower ends of the members A rest in a trough provided between successive corrugations or ridges,-as shown inFig. 4. Now, if the plate is swung forwardly N simply rocks across an adjacent corrugation troughand the arcuate portion then rests in another corrugation/ trough, as shown in the left hand portion of 'Fim 4.

When the dra-wer is substantially fiill of plates, the follower is at the extreme rear end. If the drawer is only partially filled, the follower is brought forward to proper position to form an inclined back, so that the plates are maintained nearly continuous with just sufficient space between them to allow one group of the plates to incline forwardly and the other rearwardly as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. To retain this follower in any position in which it may be placed, it is preferably made with wings 22 which fit the walls 10 rather snugly, while its inclined front portion 21 coacts with corrugations of the strip 30.

As stated the receptacle may be in the form of a` drawer. The space behind the front plate 11 and beneath the partition 15 enables the operator to insert his finger behind the front plate to withdraw the drawer. To provide access to this space when the drawers are mounted one above the other, l prefer to bend backwardly the upper portion `of the front and partition 15 as shown at 40,l

thus enabling the finger or lingers to be readily inserted. The front 11 may also be provided with a suitable member label holder, as indicated at 42 in the drawings.

It will be seen that the receptacle described may be very cheaply constructed. It is suitable for mounting compactly in a cabinet. When withdrawn, the address plates' standing on end as shown may be separated between any adjacent plates and a plate at the rear of the division easily read by the operator. In case all of the plates are to be used in the addressing machine, they will ordinarily all be tipped back into the position A1 and then after a plate has been removed from the front of Such inclined sup Jly and used in the `machine itis returned mtok the other inclined group Abea-ring against the partition l5. The drawer is accordingly well adapted for use with 'ahand addressing machine where the plates are manually transferred to and romthe 1na' `:hine.`y

I claim:

l. The combination with ajset of address plates of inverted channel shape, of a rece -V tacle for such address plates adapted to ho d them on end land comprising a narrow box having an open top and a bottom within such box provided with upwardly facing grooves which are so proportioned with ref-` erence to the plates that when `aplate'mclines yslightly backwardl'y, thefree corners 0f its sides will rest in one groove and when the same plate is tipped correspondingly forwardly, the intermediate portion thereof will rest in the nearest groove but one. Y

2. The combination, with a set of address plates lof inverted channel shape lwith out# ward ribs at the unconnected edges 'of the sides, of a receptacle for such address plates comprisinga box having an open top and a' bottom provided with transverse upwardly facing grooves so proportioned to the plates that when a plate standing on end inclines slightly backwardly the ends of its ribs will rest in one groove and when. the same plate is tipped correspondingly forwardly the intermediate portion thereof will rest in another groove separated from the former groove by an idle groove.

A receptacle for address plates, said receptacle being made of sheet metal compris ing a box having sides, ends and a bottom, an inclined partition leading from the bot tom' to the front, the upper portion of said partition being doubled on itself and eX- tended downwardly'to form a portion of the front. y

' t.V A metal receptacle `for address plates, comprising a box having sides, ends andda bottom and an inclined partition forming a continuation of the bottom and leading from.

its forward end andextending upwardly to an ,intermediate region on the front and a corrugated sheet ol metal resting on the bot` tom.

Intestimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature.

HENRY C. OSBORN. 

